Velocipede



Patented No'v. I, |898.

H. F. cuNTz.

V E L 0 C I P E D E (Application led Feb. 23,- 1897.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(un Model.)

. #y W M No. 6I3,62|. Patened Nov. l, |898.

lH. F. cuNTz. VELOCIPED'E.l

(Application led Feb. 23, 1897.\ (No Model.)

3 'sheets-sheef 2.

No. 6r3,621. Patented Nv. |898.

H.-F. CUNTZ. l

vELoclPEDE.

(Application led Feb. 23, 1897.) (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet a.

EN; Kr

I l l l l l @bym/5w: E TC UNTTnn TaTns TENT Tric.

HERMANN F. CUNTZ, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE POPE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE AND PORT- LAND, MAINE.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,621, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed February 23, 1897. Serial No. 624,525. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern: l

Be it known that I, HERMANN F. CUNTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates particularly to that class of bicycles or other velocipedes or vehicles commonly known as chainless or geardriven bicycles or velocipedes, in which the usual chain for transmitting power from the driving or crank shaft to the driven shaft or axle is replaced by a transmission or side shaft geared to the driving-shaft and to the driven shaft by bevel or other suitable gears. Heretofore such side shafts have usually been run through the lower tubular members of the rear forks, with the result that any injury to such members by bending or by indentation is likely to cause them to bind upon the side shafts and therebyto disable the machine, that the bearings are also liable to be thrown out of line by any accident to the velocipede, that it is exceedingly difficult to effect adjustment of the bearings, and that it is also dicult to remove the side shafts for repairs or cleaning or any other purpose.

It is the object of my invention to improve the construction, arrangement, and relation of parts in velocipedes or other vehicles of this class in such a manner as to overcome all of the objections above alluded to Without materially increasing the Weight or reducing the strength or exposing the construction to other objections.

In accordance with my invention the parts are so constructed and arranged as to permit of the use of a brace or lower member of the rear fork which does not encircle the transmission or side shaft, leaving the bearings accessible for adjustment without removing or detaching any of the parts and making it possible also to remove the shaft without difficulty when required, while keeping the shaft free and the bearings in line in case of any ordinary bending of such tie-rod or lower member, provision being also made for excluding dust from the gears and the bearings.

Some of the features of improvement, as

will be understood, are capable of use in other constructions than that shown. My invention Will be more fully described and explained hereinafter, with reference to the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section, of the lower portion of a bicycle-frame, showing the driving and driven shafts, the transmission or side shaft, and the bearings for said shaft. Figs. 2 and 3 are sections respectively on the planes indicated by the lines 2 2 and 3 3 of Fig. l. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are views similar to Fig. 8, but illustrating slight modifications in the form of the tie-rod or lower member of the rear fork and of its disposition with reference to the side or transmission shaft. Fig. 9 is a detail view in horizontal section, showing the forward bevel-gears, bracket, and bearings. Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views illustrating desirable means for securing the spur-pinion to the transmission or side sha-ft. Fig. l2 is a partial plan vieW of some of the parts shown in Fig. l.

In Figs. l and 12 of the drawings I have shown enough of the frame of an ordinary bicycle to enable the application of my improvements to be understood, such frame having the usual lower center tube or member A, main frame-upright B, and upper rear fork members C, only one of the latter being shown. The members A and B are firmly secured to and united by or support a bracket D, which is formed to receive the bearings of the crank-shaft or drivin g-shaft E and is also formed with or supports a box D to inclose the gear F on said shaft E, the end of said bracket being closed by a suitable cap CZ. The upper rear fork members support, either directly or by suitable toe-pieces or extensions, the rear or driven shaft or wheel G or the axle G', upon which such shaft or wheel revolves, and one of them also has rigidly secured thereto a corresponding rear bracket H, which also has formed therewith or carries a box to receive and inclose the gears and bearin gs. The rear shaft or wheel is also provided with a suitable gear I for the transmission thereto of power from the side shaft J, the latter being provided at or near its ends with gears j j to engage the gears F and I, respectively, such gears being secured tothe shaft in any convenient manner, as by akey 3'2 and bolt or screw js. I prefer, however, some arrangement which will permit the detachment of the gears, or at least of the forward gear or pinion j, from the side or transmission shaft through the boss of the corresponding bracket. Such arrangements are shown in Figs. l0 and ll. In both of said figures the pinion L74 is represented as adapted to be slipped on the shaft from the other end and to abut against a collar or shoulder Ii5 on the shaft J and as held in place by a lock-nut j, which may also form the cone of the ball-bearing. In Fig. l0 the pinion is represented as keyed to the shaft, and in Fig. Il as threaded thereon. A case K is secured to the rear bracket l-I or is mounted upon the rear shaft or axle G and the side shaft J or the gearj' to inclose and protect the gears j and I.

The brackets D and II are provided, respectively, with bosses d and h, which are bored out, each with a uniform diameter, to receive the bearings for the respective ends of the side shaft and are threaded interiorly to receive the bearings, the bosses being counterbored or enlarged, so ythat their outer portions shall be of such diameter as to permit the easy removal of the bearings and of the pinions, or at least of the pinionj. The said bearings are formed substantially as usual; but the cone l of one or of each is preferably mounted upon the shaft J to abut against the respective gear j or j', while the cases Z are threaded into the bosses d and 7L to receive between themselves and the cones the usual balls. The usual lock-nuts or collars Z2 are also threaded into the bosses to retain the bearing-cases in place and are each provided with a felt or other suitable washer Z3 to eX- clude dust from the bearings. Both bearingcases and both lock-nuts or collars are provided with holes, as represented, or are otherwise suitably formed for engagement by a suitable wrench or spanner or other like tool, which is inserted through the open end of the boss to rotate the lock-nuts and bearing-cases and thereby to effect adjustment of the bearings. Each bracket D and H is also formed to receive and to have rigidly secured thereto the corresponding end of the strut or tie-rod or lower member M of the rear fork, the said tie-rod or frame member being secured to each bracket at 011e side of the axis of the shaft and being located between its ends also at the side of said shaft, so that it does not encircle the same,while at the same time said tie-rod or member completes the frame and secures the necessary rigidity. It will be obvious that the tie-rod or lower member may have any desired shape and also that more than one may be used, if desired. In Figs. 2 and 3 the said tie-rod or member is substantially U shaped in cross-section and is inverted above the side shaft J. In Fig. 4C it is triangular and hollow and is located above the side shaft. In Fig'. 5 it is represented as a solid rod substantially triangular in crosssection and located above the side shaft. In Fig. C two tubular rods are represented, one above and the other below the side shaft. In Fig. 7 one substantially U-shaped rod is represented as located in the same horizontal plane with the side shaft. In Fig. 8 a single tube, larger than either of those shown in Fig. 6, is represented as located above the side shaft. In all of these various forms it will be observed that the side shaft is wholly at one side of the tie-rod or frame member, so that it is not inclosed or enveloped thereby and is not prevented thereby from being removed readily when necessary.

The facility with which adjustment of the bearings can be effected has already been described. Should it be necessary at any time to remove the side shaft, this can be accomplished easily by unscrewing the front bearing-case and its lock-nut entirely from the boss d' and disconnecting the driven or rear shaft or axle from the rear fork. The transmission or side shaft can then be moved rearward far enough to withdraw its forward end from the front bracket and its boss, the gear j being of such diameter as to pass readily through the boss. At the rear end of the shaft the gear-case can be removed to give access to the gear j to permit its removal from the shaft J, or the bearing-cases and lock-nuts may be driven through the boss 7i of the bracket I-I and the shaft be moved bodily to the rear through said boss h. In preference, however, to removing the rear gear-case the shaft J can be disengaged from the front pinion j and from the rear pinion j' and the` bare shaft be then pushed forward through the pinion j until the rear end has cleared the rear boX, the locking-rings and cases having been removed. Then the shaft is inclined and pulled to the rear, the front pinion being pulled through the boss of the front box. If other things permit, the rear pinion and rear boss may be of such relative size as to permit this pinion also to be pulled through its boss.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the form andrelative arrangement of the various parts herein referred to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention-d l. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame, a driving-shaft and a driven shaft or wheel supported by said frame, a transmission-shaft and gears between said transmission-shaft and said driving and driven shafts, of boxes inclosing said gears, one of said boxes having a permanently open boss through which said transmission-shaft extends, bearings for said trans1nission-shaft IOO IOS

IIO

IZO

inserted in the end of said boss remote from the proximate gear and movable through said end thereof, and a tie-rod to which said boxes are rigidly secured, said tie-rod being disposed throughout its length beside and only partly inclosing said transmission-shaft and arranged to permit the adjustment of said bearings in said boss, substantially as' shown and described.

2. In a vehicle, the combination with a driving-shaft, a driven shaft or Wheel, a transmission-shaft and gears between said transmission-shaft and said driving and driven shafts, of a bracket integral with the frame and supporting said driving-shaft and inclosing the gears at the corresponding end of the transmission-shaft, a second bracket also integral with the frame and located in proximity to the driven shaft or Wheel, one of said brackets having a permanently-open boss interiorly threaded at its end remote from the proximate gear, bearings for .said transmission-shaft screwed into said boss and accessible fronrthe open end thereof, and a tie-rod forming part of the frame and secured to said brackets and disposed throughout its length beside and only partly inclosing said transmission-shaft and arranged to permit the adjustment of said bearings in said boss, substantially as shown and described.

3. In avehicle, the combination with a driving-shaft, a driven shaft or wheel, a drivingshaft bracket rigidly secured to the frame, a rear bracket rigidly secured to the frame in proximity to the driven shaft, a transmissionshaft, gears secured to said shafts, both of said brackets having permanentlyopen-ended bosses, and bearings for said transmissionshaft inserted in the ends of said bosses remote from the respectively proximate gears and accessible from the open ends thereof, the gear on one end of said shaft being of less diameter than the corresponding boss and removable through the same when the bearings are removed, of a tie-rod or frame member rigidly secured to said brackets and disposed throughout its length beside and only partly inclosing said transmission-shaft and arranged to permit the removal of said bearings and said lastnamed gear from said bosses respectively, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame, a driving-shaft and a driven shaft or Wheel supported by said frame, a transmission-shaft having at its end a shoulder of larger diameter than the shaft, gears detachably secured to said transmission-shaft to engage corresponding gears on the driving and driven shafts, one of said gears being slipped on said shaft from the other end to abut against the said shoulder, and means for locking said gear upon said shaft against said shoulder, of boxes inclosing said gears, one of said boxes having a permanentlyopen boss, bearings for said transmission-shaft inserted in the end of said boss remote from the proximate gear and removable through the open end thereof, and a tie-rod rigidly secured to said boxes and disposed throughout itslength beside and only partly inclosing said transmission-shaft and arranged to permit the removal of said bearings and said last-named gear from said bosses respectively, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame, a driving-shaft and a driven shaft or wheel supported by said frame, a transmission-shaft and gears between said transmission-shaft and said driving and driven shafts, of boxes inclosing said gears, one of said boxes having a permanently-open boss, bearings for said transmission-shaft comprising a cone secured to said shaft, balls and a case inserted in the end of said boss remote from the proximate gear and removable through the open end thereof, and a tie-rod only partly inclosing said transmission-shaft and to which said boxes are rigidly secured, said tie-rod being arranged to permit the removal of said bearings from said boss, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a vehicle, the combination with a driving-shaft, a driven shaft or Wheel, a transmission-shaft and gears between said transmission-shaft and said driving and driven shafts, of a bracket rigidly secured to the frame and supporting said driving-shaft and inclosing the gears at the corresponding end of the transmission-shaft, a second bracket also rigidly secured to the frame and located in proximity to the driven shaft or wheel,.one of said brackets having a permanently openended boss interiorly threaded at its end remote from the proximate gear, and bearings for said transmission-shaft screwed into said boss and accessible from the open end thereof, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a vehicle, the combination of a driving-shaft, a driven shaft or wheel, a drivingshaft bracket rigidly secured to the frame, a rear bracket rigidly secured to the frame in proximity to the driven shaft, a transmissionshaft, gears secured to said shafts, both of said brackets having permanently open-ended bosses, and bearings for said transmissionshaft inserted in the ends of said bosses remote from the respectively proximate gears and accessible from the open ends thereof, the gear on one end of said shaft being of less diameter than the corresponding boss and removable through the same when the bearings are removed, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame, a driving-shaft and a driven shaft or Wheel supported by said frame, a transmission-shaft having at its end a shoulder of larger diameter than the shaft, gears detachably secured to said transmission-shaft to engage corresponding gears on the driving and driven shafts, one of said gears being slipped on said shaft from the other end to abut against the said shoulder, and means for lock- IOO IIO

ing said gear upon said shaft against said shoulder, of boxes inclosing said gears, one of said boxes having a perinanen tly-open boss, bearings for said transmission-shaft inserted in the open end of said boss remote from the proximate gear and removable through the open end thereof, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame, a driving-shaft and a driven shaft or wheel supported by said frame, a transmission-shaft and gears between said transmission-shaft and said driving and driven shafts, of boxes inclosing said gears, one of said boxes having a permanently-open boss, bearings for said transmissioneshaft comprising a cone Secured to said shaft, balls and a case inserted in the open end of said boss remote from the proximate gear and removable through the open end thereof, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame, a driving-sbaft and a driven shaft or wheel supported by said frame, a transmission-shaft and gears between said transmission-shaft and said driving and driven shafts, of boxes secured to the frame and inclosing said gears, said boxes having permanently open-ended bosses openiu g toward each other, the distance between said bosses being less than the distance between the gears on the transmission-shaft, and bearings for said transmission-shaft inserted in the open ends of said bosses and removable therefrom by movement toward each other, substantially as shown and described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 18th day of February, A. D. 1897.

HERMANN F. CUNTZ.

In presence of- FEL'roN PARKER, FRANCIS C. BURNELL. 

